I READ with interest the GUARDIAN story on September 25 on a proposal by community workers Lesley Stockton and Dave Etoch to revamp Bewsey Park into an activity centre.

If the bidding for a £35,000 grant is allowed, the centre would include facilities for football, basketball, netball, cricket and tennis.

In my capacity of chairman of Longshaw Street Centre, I am all for any facilities in the Bewsey area for young people. My concern over this particular venture is the fact that the area considered is surrounded by senior citizens' bungalows.

I wonder if both Lesley and Dave, who I know well, have consulted with these senior citizens to ask their views on this proposal. In talking to the OAPs during the past month on visits I made with Dave on behalf of the Longshaw Street Centre, I am left with the view that few senior citizens would welcome any intrusion from such a centre in Bewsey Park.

One major reason for youths trampling over the bowling greens at Bewsey Park is the withdrawal of green keepers from all borough bowling greens by the borough council. If both Dave and Lesley wish to locate such a centre then Longshaw Street playing fields is ideal providing the council will allocate a plot at the fields. Hopefully a view will be taken of all the senior citizens prior to any attempt to force such a centre on Bewsey Park.

M. DARBYSHIRE,

Laira Court.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.